Another day and another Labour U-turn. The current crisis in Gaza has split the Starmer Army as they walk the thin line between supporting Israel and not alienating their core vote. The current total of Labour MPs who are calling for ceasefire – in breach of party policy – now stands at 65, a third of the total parliamentary party. There has been much anger over Sir Keir’s disastrous LBC interview in which he appeared to suggest that Israel ‘has the right’ to withhold water and power from Gaza: comments which Starmer has repeatedly and painfully tried to ‘walk back’ over the past fortnight.
But it appears that the long-suffering Labour press office is yet to learn the lessons from Starmer Chameleon’s media mishap. For another botched broadcast round has hindered the party’s efforts to stand with the government over Israel. David Lammy – the Tottenham Talleyrand – appeared on BBC’s Radio 4 yesterday, in which he was asked about reports of an Israeli air strike on a Gaza refugee camp. Following in his party’s tradition of Ernie Bevin and Denis Healey, Lammy flailed about for a bit before telling the Beeb that: ‘It’s wrong to bomb a refugee camp but clearly if there is a military objective it can be legally justifiable. It’s for Israel to explain its actions.’
A predictable outrage then followed, forcing Lammy to issue a clarification on Twitter/X:
As I said on Radio 4 Today this morning, it is morally wrong to bomb refugee camps. I am appalled by the civilian deaths at the Jabalia camp. I called on and continue to call on Israel to explain how this conforms to international law and how it qualifies as proportionate.
Such is the circle of life, that a Twitter/X ‘community note’ was subsequently added to his post, noting the original comments on Radio 4. Given Lammy wants to be seriously considered as the chief spokesman to the world in a future Labour Government, Mr S wonders if his constant missteps on China and Israel are doing much to burnish his reputation.
After all, if he can’t handle a chat with Justin Webb, how will he face down Vladimir Putin..?
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